Endless Pasts
by MoonPaper
Summary: Sujirou finally finds the one for him- but she can't settle down- or get attached. She's running away from her past- and a lot of people. Of course, the dear boy is to help, isn't he? Btw, read and suggest a title pleese!
1. Chapter 1

Untitled  
By: Mizu- chan a.k.a Vanilla_fox Summary: Sujirou finally finds the one for him- but she can't settle down- or get attached. She's running away from her past- and a lot of people. Of course, the dear boy is to help, isn't he? Btw, read and suggest a title pleese! Notes: This is my first ever Ruroni Kenshin/ Samurai X fic. And they haven't shown ANY of the movies on tv, in English, except for the one where Musashino dies... sob... Disclaimer: Ruroni Kenshin, all characters and related incidia are property of someone else. They don't belong to me!  
  
It was a cold night, to say the least. The autumn wind was blowing hard and strong, making the trees, mostly strong pines, sway. Seta Sujirou looked at the darkening sky with an ever-present smile on his face. "Yare- yare... I guess, I'll have to walk faster to the nearest inn, then." With that thought, his pace quickened. About fifteen paces from where he was earlier, a loud roar was heard, that of anger and pain, most likely. His eyes and features suddenly sharpened, and he changed course, heading for the trees and the sound. (Yare- yare= Oh, boy)  
  
The sight was an unusual one. He had jumped up to the trees and loked at the scene from above. He saw a cloaked man, holding out his hand towards a group of bandits, who had a woman in their midst. Crying, he saw. The man was most likely either trying to save the girl, or trying to take her away from the bandits, to use for his own purposes. But the battle aura he saw in the cloaked man was not as strong as he assumed. And besides that, he seemed to be slightly scared. Sujirou smiled wider as the fun began.  
  
"You son of a..." The gang leader's voice was drowned out by somehting that came out from under the man's cloak. Something that took the men's weapons from them immediately, and brought them to the ground far away. It was a whip. Sujirou watched on in fascination. "Let the woman go." The voice under the scarf was slightly high, for a man. Frightened, most of the bandits fled, except for the largest. He picked up his fallen sword and walked up to the whip- wielder. "Try me with your whip, then." And with amazing speed for such a large man, he charged towards the cloaked figure. He barely had time to dodge the rusted sword. But his hands were out of their hiding places, and he held his weapons of choice in them.  
  
"Ikusou!" They both rushed towards each other. Sujirou noticed that there was something obviously wrong with this picture. He was right. The whip- master flipped with precise agility above the man, and in a split second, was holding the much larger man with his whips. Again, with his unusual agility, he jumped onto the trees and flipped the bandit around, to slam him on the ground. He was knocked unconscious. The cloaked figure then turned to the girl, and with contrast to his previous actions, he held out a hand. And with a gentler voice than Sujirou could imagine, he spoke to the girl, who ran away nodding and smiling and waving and thanking him. The cloaked figure waved back and turned around once the girl was out of sight. Then he turned to Sujirou's hiding place. (Ikusou= Let's go)  
  
Thinking he was discovered, Sujirou was poised to run, before the man chuckled as a rabbit came out. "You scared me, little one. I thought someone was spying. Run along before a fox comes, then." The rabbit hopped away, and the man disappeared. Sujirou looked on in amazement. At the cloaked woman who just came his way. At that particular moment in time, large drops of water fell onto his face, and he sighed as he looked up. "Time to use Shukuchi for more practical purposes, then." With that, he was gone.  
  
Across the trees, the cloaked figure walked away. "Shukuchi- Tenken No Sujirou." She smiled, long grayish- balack hair covering her eyes.  
  
===== Next Town=====  
  
"Domo arigato gozaimasu." Sujirou said, and took the key to his room, and the hot meal he ordered. It was along one of the western rooms, in an inn curiously called Barrel of Peace. He went in, and lay down his pack and things. "Anou, this room is pretty nice." He said, looking around. It was a small room, and the wall paper was almost opaque, but it was comfortable, with a desk, a futon and a small chest. He sat down, and noticed the towels and wooden pail on the table. "Of course! They have hot springs here, I forgot!" Still smiling, he ate his meal and picked the wooden pail up. (Domo arigato gozaimasu= Thank you very much)  
  
Everyone looked at the open door, which just let in a crisp gust of autumn wind. But most of them turned back, seeing that it wasn't someone important, or of any interest. But some of the men kept their eyes on the woman, watching her rent a room and buy a hot meal. "Konbanwa, Oba- san. Where exactly is this room?" The old woman looked at her smiling face and couldn't help but smile back. (Konbanwa = Good Evening, Oba- san = Aunt, I think.)  
  
"It's along the northern part of the compound, perpendicular to the last room on the western side. It looks small, dearie, but part of it is hiden behind the last room on the west side." The woman nodded her thanks and walked away, still smiling and carrying a feeling of peace around her. She looked down at the name the young girl called herself. "Yumemiya Aoi." Smling, the old woman's mind went back to that of the younger man who came in earlier. "Maybe they're related..."  
  
Sujirou gave a content sigh as he slipped ino the warm spring water. [When was the last time I went into a spring like this?] He smiled and sat down on the stone steps. [Probably... right after I abandoned Shishio-san.] He sighed and shook his head to clear himself of any more bad thoughts. [It's been a long time ago. I shouldn't think of it.] With another sigh, he leant back and enjoyed the full moon.  
  
Aoi looked at the reflection of the moon on the water and sighed. [What's the point of all this? I'll never be able to run away from them.] She sighed again and splashed some water on herself. "I shouldn't think about it." Giggles came from the other side of the spring, where a few other women were. She sighed and looked up finally at the moon itself. [Changing my name will only hold them off for a while.] She stood up and was about to leave, when a knife slipped out of the shadows and pinned itself on the flimsy wooden wall seperating the women's side from the men's. [Oh no... my weapon!] All the women screamed and dashed out, and Aoi had a thought of screaming and running with them. But they were gone.  
  
She stood in the middle of the spring, half- naked, steam all around her, and dripping wet without a weapon. [Surely, if they sent an assasin to me, they would have killed me- unless....] Aoi faced the trees from which the throwing knife came from, and retrieved the knife from the wall. Just as she had thought. "Yukimi! I will not return- it is too late for me." She turned around, and walked out of the springs.  
  
Sujirou woke up suddenly, and looked around. There wasn't anyone- but there had to be something that had woken him- He looked out the door opening tho the garden, and closed it. There was nothing there. But as he turned around to return to his futon, his eyes narrowed at the shadows made by the moon on the wall. There were two figures standing up, and loud whispering was coming from the room. "I cannot return- they have already sent assasins after me! There's a price on my head already, and even SHE is lookin for me!" then, the other seemed to turn around. "Tsukishiro- she wants you alive. She wants to end your life personally, slowly and painfully."  
  
The figure on the right slumped down onto the floor. "Yukimi- don't do this for me- it's not really worth it. If she finds out, or if anyone else finds out, you will die with me." The one called Yukimi sighed, and turned around. "You know I can't help it- I have to. I can't just stand by. But from now on, I won't be seen with you- Sore ja." With that, she was gone, leaving the girl called Tsukishiro alone. "Sore ja." (Sore ja= See you, or Bye)  
  
A/N: Please, you guys, review! I'm begging you all who read this. I haven't completed this ic, and I'm just writing it as I go along, so it's gonna be hard for me. Can you all please review? Then I'll post up a chapter. I'm not the type who forces people to review, but I will if I have to.  
  
Ja! Mizu- chan 


	2. Chapter 2

Untitled  
By: Mizu- chan a.k.a Vanilla_fox Summary: Sujirou finally finds the one for him- but she can't settle down- or get attached. She's running away from her past- and a lot of people. Of course, the dear boy is to help, isn't he? Btw, read and suggest a title pleese!  
  
Notes: Actually, I was going to discontinue this fic, but I felt so glad when I received reviews from all of you! Besides, if someone was reading this, and liked it enough to leave, a review, I think they would feel annoyed when this suddenly stopped.  
  
Disclaimer: Ruroni Kenshin, all characters and related incidia are property of someone else. They don't belong to me!  
  
Last Chapter: The figure on the right slumped down onto the floor. "Yukimi- don't do this for me- it's not really worth it. If she finds out, or if anyone else finds out, you will die with me." The one called Yukimi sighed, and turned around. "You know I can't help it- I have to. I can't just stand by. But from now on, I won't be seen with you- Sore ja." With that, she was gone, leaving the girl called Tsukishiro alone. "Sore ja." (Sore ja= See you, or Bye)  
  
*~*~* Sujirou looked around, and seeing one empty table, he sat down with his belongings, and ordered a small breakfast. While waiting, he looked around for the woman he heard last night. [Tsukishiro.] He sighed and looked up as someone approached. It was a woman in her early twenties, wearing a travelling kimono. Waist length greyish- black hair in a braid fell forward as she bowed. "Sorry, but can I sit here? The other tables are occupied, and well-" he nodded and she gave a quick smile before siting down. [That voice.] She extended her hand. "Yumemiya Aoi." He took it, still smiling. "Seta Soujirou." Her head suddenly cocked to one side, "Tenken?" He nodded. "Tsukishiro?" She seemed taken aback. "H..How did you know that? He shrugged. "I heard you talking to your friend earlier." She smiled, and nodded. "A.k.a Tsukishiro." He nodded. "Of what school?" She shrugged. "Which way are you going?"  
  
"Around Kanagawa, I guess, or at this time of the year, maybe Choshi. The weather is fine for a good beach- side town. The fish would be fine there. You?" She shrugged. "I'm not sure... maybe North." Suhirou nodded, and an akward silence prevailed for a while, before Sujirou spoke up. "I was thinking of visiting some friends in Kyoto..." She smiled, and nodded. "Kyoto should be having a really nice festival a few weeks from now." she said quietly, though with a smiling face. "Aah." Finally, the waitress came, and they made their orders. "Maybe I'll go to Kyoto... There should be a lot of people there." she told him, and he agreed. Quietly, he phrased his next question properly. "Aa... you seem to be running away... from someone?" she nodded.  
  
"Hai... have you heard of the recent murders, of a few women, all over Japan, their bodies being found, and seen torn to bits, like by a ravaging beast?" Sujirou, eyes wide, nodded. "They were once part of the Sisterhood... A group of women, who protected other women, weaker, oppressed women. For example, those who were violated, were given a home. Young children were housed in orphanages, and some of us- some of us fought against people who dind't want us interfering. There were all sorts of women who fought for the cause, and I was one of them." Sujirou nodded as the food arrived.  
  
"I was part of the massacre of the Murakami group. They had a whole harem of abused women and children in their head quarters." Sujirou looked at her over the steaming bowl of ramen. "But they were all killed in one night, they didn't know what hit them... they said it was the Oniwabanshu who was responsible." He trailed off as she shook her head. "It was my group, a group of ten women, and six children... who did it." Sujirou stred. "That's right... I don't have a school. I come from a clan- I am a Kunoichi. My group lead all their 'belongings' to safety, and I took Taisuke Murakami's life... with my own knives." She looked at her hands, and as if disgusted with them, she hid them under her obi. (Kunoichi- Female Ninja, Oniwabanshu- The Oni Gang)  
  
"After a while... I became a cold blooded murderer, and our Eldest Sister... our Okashira... she was extremely pleased with me, until the time came when I fought with someone... I will remember that fight for a long time... and I realized... that I was so jaded, I didn't realize the countless lives I'd ruined, and the countless other women and children... I left, and The Okashira's looking for me, and all those who abandoned the 'cause'. I went back to my village, but from the Jonin, I found out... that the whole village had labelled me as an outcast, and as someone unworthy of further study of ninjutsu techniques... and since then, I've learnt a lot I wouldn't have learnt in the village. But I've been running away from The Okashira for years now... And I also know your story, Heavenly Sword... the young protege of Makoto Shishio..." (Okashira- Leader, Jonin- The Ninja's Headman)  
  
Later on, the inn's occupants were still thinking of the couple who just left, both smiling, and walking, and talking, in what seemed like a comfortable way. "Looked like they were fiancées or something." One of them had said, but in truth, as soon as the two smiling faces reached the towns outskirts, Aoi turned serious. "You can come out now, you know." Sujirou, still smiling, nodded in agreement, and both were facing the bushes beside the road. There was rustling, and a woman came out, wearing a black kimono top, and trousers. "Tsukishiro. You can NEVER escape!" she shouted, and a drawn katana swinging towards the ex- kunoichi leader. "I know.. but I'd like to keep myself alive for a longer time!" she shouted, and three kunai imbedded themselves on the attacking woman's back.  
  
"Your head has a price on it! How long do you think until someone catches you? A lot of us are after you, you know!" she shouted, and the katana suddenly reached forward, to a distance kunai wouldn't save her from. Sujirou jumped in. "Arigato!" Aoi hissed, and she drew out two whips from her obi, lashing out at the attacker, who lay unconscious seconds after, to be found later in the night by traveling merchants.  
  
"Thank you so much, Seta- san." Aoi told him, bowing slightly. Sujirou shook his head, slightly coloured. "It's nothing. really! And I think, Sujirou would be alright." Aoi nodded. "Then Aoi is fine as well." They nodded, and as if nothing happened, continued walking on in silence, headed for Kyoto- and Kamiya- Kasshin Dojo.  
  
A/N: I waited until I knew someone was reading this, so I'M SO SORRY its so late!!! And I promise, I'll update as often as I can from now on. Alright? R&R, ONEGAI!! 


	3. Chapter 3

Endless Pasts By: Mizu- chan a.k.a Vanilla_fox Summary: Sujirou finally finds the one for him- but she can't settle down- or get attached. She's running away from her past- and a lot of people. Of course, the dear boy is to help, isn't he? Btw, read and suggest a title pleeeese!  
  
Notes: I think, I like this fic. so I'm going to continue it. I really, really want to thank Nia for suggesting a title! And I'm using it. The explanation is. because the two of them are running away from their pasts, which they can't escape from, so it means their pasts are endless. Right?  
  
Disclaimer: Ruroni Kenshin, all characters and related indicia are property of someone else. They don't belong to me!  
  
Last Chapter: "Thank you so much, Seta- san." Aoi told him, bowing slightly. Sujirou shook his head, slightly coloured. "It's nothing. really! And I think, Sujirou would be alright." Aoi nodded. "Then Aoi is fine as well." They nodded, and as if nothing happened, continued walking on in silence, headed for Kyoto- and Kamiya- Kasshin Dojo.  
  
"Himura-san!" Soujirou called. The door opened, and a red- haired man, wearing a magenta (Is that the colour?) shirt, opened the door. " Oh. Soujirou! Come in, come in!" He looked at Aoi, and then back at Soujirou. Both of them reddened. "No! No!" Soujirou exclaimed. "Its not what you think!!" Kenshin nodded, and smiled. "Alright." Aoi, still blushing, bowed. "Gomenasai. Atashi wa Yumemiya Aoi." Kenshin bowed back. "Atashi wa Himura Kenshin." Aoi nodded. "Domo arigato, Himura- san, for letting me come." Kenshin smiled and let them in.  
  
"Kaoru! Kaoru!" Moments later, Himura Kaoru came out, wiping her hands on a piece of white cloth. "Soujirou! I see you brought someone. Atashi wa Himura Kaoru. Nice to meet you." Aoi bowed. "Yumemiya Aoi." Kaoru looked back and forth, from Soujirou, to Aoi. "Are the two of you.?" Both blushed and shook their heads. "Iie!" Kaoru laughed, and gave them one last sly smile, and led them to a large living room, where there were eleven or so other people. Aoi bowed, and sat down. Curious glances were cast towards them, and Soujirou fidgeted, feeling increasingly uncomfortable. Husband and wife exchanged glances, and smiled. "Everyone, this is Yumemiya Aoi, Soujirou's FRIEND." Everyone exchanged glances or looked away, much to the Tenken's relief. "Aoi- chan, this is Yahiko Myoujin." Kaoru began, and everyone introduced themselves. "I'm the number one student of the Kamiya-Kasshin Style! "Sagara Sanosuke." "He's the resident street punk, gambler, fighter, etc." "Hey! You can call me Sano." Aoi laughed as the woman with long black hair fought a glaring match with Sano, who looked away, slightly red. The woman turned on Aoi and Soujirou. She could've sworn, there were fox ears on the woman's head. She laughed as Aoi looked at her. "You can call me Megumi. I'm a doctor." Aoi nodded, and smiled. The old man beside her, suddenly appeared between her and Soujirou. "You can call me. Okina." He said, with much acting. Aoi, feeling uncomfortable, inched away slightly, and suddenly, a flying blur came out of nowhere. "YAMERO! HENTAI!"  
  
Aoi's eyes went wide. "Was. was that a weasel? A flying weasel?" Everyone went silent and laughed. Meaning everyone. "Iie," One woman said, she was very beautiful. "That's Makimachi Misao. I'm Midori." Another woman, who looked much younger, sat next to her. "I'm Akai." Then, the two men across them introduced themselves as Kuro, the larger one, and Shiro, who seemed to be looking at Midori. Aoi nodded. Finally, the flying weasel came back. She was a young looking girl, with long blue hair and cyan eyes. She smiled and extended her hand. "Makimachi Misao. Nice to meet you."  
  
Aoi nodded, and finally, the old man introduced himself as Doctor Gensai. Aoi expectantly, turned towards the last person, who had his eyes closed. But she could see that he was a very handsome man. Everyone looked at him, then he opened his eyes. Aoi almost gasped. It was Him. Him. He was the One who had told her. He was the one who had. "Shinomori Aoshi." She nodded, and everyone, with their usual skills, noticed that even though she kept her expression and aura neutral, her eyes were a fraction wider. "You changed your name." Aoi shook herself from her reverie. "Pardon?" she asked weakly. Everyone was quiet, and looking at her and Aoshi. Misao especially.  
  
Icy blue met steel gray, and a force held the gazes together. "You changed your name, Monou Tsukishiro." Everyone's thoughts raced as Aoi's eyes went completely wide, and her pupils dilated. "It IS you then.." Aoshi nodded. "How could I forget."  
  
===Flashback=== The rain fell ominously, and thunder flashed, creating a very threatening scene. Twelve black, silent shapes ran across a large expanse of forest, ending up on a cliff looking over a large compound. Silent orders, from hand signals, came from the leader of the group, or so it seemed. The black shapes moved away silently, and the only one left was a shape that would probably have belonged to a teenager. She turned to the forest behind her. "Why aren't you attacking? I am pretty sure you aren't on our side, if you're not of our kind." From the shadows, one man seemingly came out of nowhere, followed by numerous other, most likely triple the black figure's numbers. "Of course we aren't."  
  
And the other men left on his hand signal , leaving only two men. Himself, and a masked one with striped sleeves. The same gave, held by the same force, held. Cold, icy blue met the colder steely gray. The black figure stood up and held full height, about a foot or so less than Aoshi's.  
  
The Oniwabanshu's youngest Okashira drew his kodachis and got into defensive stance. The black figure drew out two whips and got into the same stance. Hanya watched on as seconds ticked by, the both eyeing up the other, for any openings. Then, without any warning, the whips lashed out, and Aoshi attacked, dodging one, and getting hit by the other, only to find out that it was metal. Both jumped away from each other, and the woman, still in the same spot, flicked her wrist, and the metal snakes came to life. Aoshi dodged again.  
  
"Monou Tsukishiro. From the Arashi Clan." The black figure stiffened. "Fifteen years old. Leader of the Kunoichis of the 'Sisterhood', a group of women, who fight for themselves. Expert on the whips, and trained by the village Jonin, her father. Monou Kaze." Tsukishiro/ Aoi's eyes narrowed, and from under the black mask, steel gray eyes flashed. "Shinomori Aoshi- youngest Okashira of the Oniwabanshu, age unknown, uses Kodachis, lethal attacks are of the flowing water and the sword's dance, successor of Okina." Both kept quiet, and finally Aoshi attacked. The whips regained life again, and headed in different directions.  
  
But Aoshi dodged, and headed straight for the young kunoichi, who couldn't dodge completely, and escaped with a half torn mask. A young face looked out, anger on its surface. Strands of gray hair fell over one eye. Then, suddenly, she smiled, surprising both men, who didn't show it. "Even the Oniwabanshu cannot find out everything about me. That's good. I thought that you would know. about certain things. But it seems to me, that your people failed." She said pointedly, looking at the burning building below. "Thank you for the entertainment. I will tell Her about you, you know. I have to." Then, her smiling façade dropped again, this time, for a much longer time. Aoshi looked coolly at her eyes, full of pain, death and desperation.  
  
Suddenly, he smiled. It wasn't a warm smile, or a sardonic one, he just smiled. "I see, you're wishing that I can just surprise an attack on you and kill you? I think you aren't meant to be a kunoichi. It seems to me that you know the darker parts of killing the men you loathe so much, and how it affects the very cause you fight for. the wives and the children?" He turned serious as she visibly flinched. "You see how stupid your cause is, don't you? Hey, if you don't like what you do, why do you do it? You kill an official, then rescue his wife and children, whom he actually loved! So they have to go into your cause, because they think that you are the good guys. Don't you see that you're a pawn?" With that, he disappeared, and Tsukishiro/ Aoi ran away, to the other direction.  
  
===End===  
  
A/N: How was this chapter? I'm working on the next one already. I hope that you guys like it, though I'm sure that there are a very few of you who are actually reading this. I'm really hoping that you can. well, review? Please?  
  
Mizu- chan 


	4. Chapter 4 I'm goin' on a holiday! yeah!

Endless Pasts By: Mizu- chan a.k.a Vanilla_fox Summary: Sujirou finally finds the one for him- but she can't settle down- or get attached. She's running away from her past- and a lot of people. Of course, the dear boy is to help, isn't he?  
  
Disclaimer: Ruroni Kenshin, all characters and related indicia are property of someone else. They don't belong to me!  
  
Last Chapter: Suddenly, he smiled. It wasn't a warm smile, or a sardonic one, he just smiled. "I see, you're wishing that I can just surprise an attack on you and kill you? I think you aren't meant to be a kunoichi. It seems to me that you know the darker parts of killing the men you loathe so much, and how it affects the very cause you fight for. the wives and the children?" He turned serious as she visibly flinched. "You see how stupid your cause is, don't you? Hey, if you don't like what you do, why do you do it? You kill an official, then rescue his wife and children, whom he actually loved! So they have to go into your cause, because they think that you are the good guys. Don't you see that you're a pawn?" With that, he disappeared, and Tsukishiro/ Aoi ran away, to the other direction.  
  
"OKASHII!" Everyone looked at Okina, who had wide eyes. "You? YOU? You were the leader of that kami- damned group that dished blames on us?!" Aoi nodded, and bowed, her forehead touching the floor. "Gomenazai. I. I was doing my job. Like you know. how samurais use the ninja." she looked at the others. "I'm very sorry." Then, she stood up. "I'll be leaving now. I shouldn't have. intruded." She opened the sliding door, and was about to leave, when a hand caught the sleeve of her kimono. "It's alright. Stay." She looked at Soujirou, then at the rest. Okina was looking away, and she could sense a very disturbed aura he tried very hard to hide. Then she looked at Kaoru, who smiled and patted the space beside her. "Okina didn't mean that. He. he gets excited, because the Oniwabanshu is still very much alive today." Aoi nodded, and looked outside. (Okashii= ridiculous)  
  
Sujirou looked at her. The look had somehow. a wistfulness in it. He sighed, and stood up. "I'll go get the rice cakes, alright?" Kenshin nodded. "I'll come with you. It's quite a big plate!" Kaoru shook her head. Aoi smiled lightly. "Anou." but she was cut off by Megumi, who pushed her into sitting position quite forcibly. "Sit. Stay. Eat." Aoi looked up at her, with a surprised expression on her face. Megumi laughed like the fox that she was, and she could've sworn, there really WERE fox ears on the woman. Aoi laughed, finally, and picked up a rice cake as Megumi sat down.  
  
Sujirou, meanwhile, talked with Kenshin as they took the rest of the snacks. "How did you meet her?" Kenshin asked casually, with a smiling face. Sujirou shrugged casually. "Oh. in an inn. down in Tokkaido." Kenshin nodded. "Oh. You like her, don't you?" Sujirou, who was eating a mocchi, suddenly choked "HIMURA- SAN!" Kenshin laughed. "Just kidding!" Sujirou gave him a fake glare, and swallowed the remains of the sakura- cake down. "That WASN'T funny!" Kenshin shrugged, and they both turned around as someone cleared his/ her throat. "Kuro- san! Shiro-san! Midori- san! Akai- san!" The four loomed over him menacingly. "So. the little kid has a crush on someone." Akai teased. The rest chuckled menacingly. "Oro." Everyone looked at a swirly- eyed Kenshin, who was pushed aside quite roughly at the mention of a possible gossiping topic.  
  
At the noise, Sano came in, on the request from Kaoru to check on the two men. "What the heck's going on in here?" Everyone looked at each other, and let go of the Tenken, to act as if they were cleaning up. "Why... do you ask?" Akai asked him, with an extremely forced smile. Sano sweatdropped and looked at the swirly eyed Kenshin, and a ruffled looking, still- smiling Sujirou. He sighed adn dragged the two out, back to the sitting room. Eventually, the 'party' went on, until the lamps had to be lit. Sake was served in a while, and food from Lenny's was brought in. Eventually, eyelids began to droop as well, and Doctor Gensai retired with the two girls, Yahiko fell asleep beside Megumi, Misao got slightly tipsy, and Megumi began handing out anti- hangover medicine.  
  
Finally rid of any ceremony, Kaoru, who was also slightly tipsy, looked at Sujirou and Aoi, who were drinking moderately. At least Aoi, anyway. Sujirou, who was still smilng, was downing one cup after another, without batting an eyelash. Everyone just itched to ask him how the hell he did that. Sano, especially. The two loked back at Kaoru, who was exchanging grins with Megumi. "Um... will the two of you be sharing a room?" Nobody except for Aoshi got the reaction anticipated. The two blushed slightly, but continued smiling and drinking, but shook their heads. Kaoru, though disappointed, was not deterred. "Well, we were only expecting Sujirou, you see, and there aren't any other rooms left. Misao and the girls are sharing a room, besides Megumi, who'll be going home, and Sano. Yahiko will be sharing with the boys, and Okina and Aoshi have their own rooms. Kenshin and I have our room, though. Everywhere else is full, you know..."  
  
Aoi smiled at her. "Is there a nearby inn, Kaoru-san?" Kaoru shook her head. "I won't mind having to sleep in here, really." Kaoru tried to look indignant, then she smiled and looked at Aoshi and Okina. "Would the two of you mind sharing a room?" Aoshi was about to answer, but Okina did so before him. "Well, I'm really sorry, Aoi, but I'm an old man, and I sleep a lot, but get woken up easily. And Aoshi wakes up early, you know." Aoi nodded, and stood up. "I should make for the inn then, it can't be that far." As she bowed to all of them, Kaoru gave up and tried a compromise. "I have a screen, though, it can be used to... sort of divide the room into two parts." Aoi agreed. "Thank you for your hospitality, Kaoru- san." Aoshi rolled his eyes and carried Misao. "I'll bring her to your room." he told the two other Oni gang members, and walked out. Oina bowed, and left, skipping, and looking rather drunk.  
  
Megumi stood up. "I should be going then, Kaoru. Thank you for the nice time. See you tomorrow, Ken-san!" Sano followed suit. "I can't allow the good doctor to walk home alone, you know." He nodded to them, and walked out as well. Akai and Midori went to 'wash the dishes', and Shiro and Kuro went to bring Yahiko to their room. Kenshin looked at the two weary- looking travellers, and stood up. "Sujirou, would you like to help me set up the screen?" Sujirou nodded, and the two walked out. Kaoru looked at Aoi, who sort-of cowered. Kaoru grinned, and stood up. "Let's go for a bath, and I'll lend you a robe to wear." Aoi nodded, albeit reluctantly, and followed the woman to the bathouse.  
  
Sujirou inched a bit to his left as the screen was set up. It was long enough to almost cover the whole width of the room, but not quite enough. Kenshin looked at their handiwork, and almost beamed, but smiled apologetically at the younger swordsman. "It's alright, I guess, Sujirou nodded, and went to 'his' side of the room. He got his things for a bath ready, and looked at the small screen seperating the two halves of the room. Each panel was about one and a half feet in length, and there were six panels. He sighed. The bottom part of the screen was a criss- crossed patterned wood, where you could somehow see the other side, in glimpses. He shook his head and went out of the room.  
  
A/N: This is going to be sooooo slow. The action starts in the next chapter, alright?? So please, bear with me. 


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